Dawn Hollins

While the following recipes barely qualify as local and seasonal they are ideally suited for hot weather dining. The first is a delicious American-style jellied salad which my mother used to make; the second is a quick and unusual jellied sweet.

Sunlit salad

• 44 gm tin of pineapple – pieces or crushed
• a third of a cup of chopped nuts – pecans, cashews or whatever you like
• 1 packet of lemon or lime jelly crystals
• 1 cup of grated carrot
• 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
• salt to taste (about a quarter of a teaspoon)

Drain pineapple. To the juice add enough water to make one and a half cups of liquid. Bring to the boil and pour over jelly crystals. Stir to dissolve. Add vinegar and salt then fold in other ingredients. Cool until set.

Easy-peasy jelly squares

• 3 packets of jelly crystals of the same flavour
• 1 tablespoon powdered gelatine
• 3 cups boiling water
• 1 cup Tilba or other cream

Whip ingredients together and pour into a small slice pan lined with baking paper. Place in the refrigerator to set. The mixture separates into a firm jelly layer topped with an attractive creamy jelly. Cut into squares and serve as a sweet or light dessert. Store in the ‘frig covered with cling film.

This can also be made from 3 cups of orange or other juice, sugar to taste, boiled, with 3 tablespoons of gelatine and 1 cup of cream. Nuts can be added for crunch and interest.